Recent drafts show Nets could get a significant piece at 21st and/or 22nd pick

The Nets held both the 21st and 22nd picks in Thursday night's NBA Draft. There’s little chance to expect they’ll draft a franchise-changer like expected No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama.
However, recent history suggests teams can still find great value in the 20s. It’s a low-risk way to fortify your core with proven players that often have less pressure to perform right away and can be developed.
With the Nets building around Mikal Bridges, their first-round picks don’t have to be immediate stars. In recent years, the No. 21 and No. 22 selected players have paid off either right away or down the road.
Here’s how a few players taken in those slots have fared over the past six seasons.

Christian Braun
Braun went 21st overall last season to the Denver Nuggets. He averaged only 4.7 points as a rookie but made key contributions in the postseason for the NBA champions. Braun scored 15 points in the Nuggets’ Game 3 win in the NBA Finals and shot 70.6% from the field during the series. There’s a good chance he’ll see a bigger role off the bench next season.

Walker Kessler
Kessler was drafted at No. 22 last year by the Grizzlies, who traded the pick to the Timberwolves in a draft-day deal. Two weeks later, Kessler was traded to the Jazz in a trade involving Rudy Gobert. It worked out well for Kessler, who finished third in Rookie of the Year voting and fourth in the league at 2.3 blocks per game. Kessler made the All-Rookie first team after averaging 9.2 points and 8.4 rebounds.

Tyrese Maxey
Back in 2020, Maxey was taken at No. 21 by the 76ers. After a quiet rookie season, Maxey became a starter in his second year and more than doubled his scoring (8.0 to 17.5 points) and assists (2.0 to 4.3) while shooting 42.7% on three-pointers. Last season, Maxey averaged career highs in scoring (20.3 points) and three-point shooting (43.4%). He’ll be due for a rookie extension as one of the best players in his class. Nets fans, of course, will remember Maxey shooting 50% on threes as he averaged 21.8 points during the 76ers’ first-round series sweep in April.

Brandon Clarke
In 2019, Clarke was selected 21st by the Thunder, who traded him to the Grizzlies. It proved to be a steal as Clarke was an All-Rookie first team selection and became a key piece on a playoff contender the last three seasons. Through four seasons, he’s shot 60.4% from the field and is known for both his rebounding and ability to finish at the rim. Clarke’s future is on hold after an Achilles injury in March but he’s fully established as part of the Grizzlies’ core. 

Grant Williams
One pick after Clarke, Williams went to the Celtics at No. 22. Like Clarke, Williams has been productive as a reserve for a playoff team.
Williams shot 41.1% on three-pointers two seasons ago and followed that up shooting 39.5% while averaging a career-high 8.1 points. The Celtics have relied more on Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown leading the way but Williams has been a key component for a team that reached two consecutive Eastern Conference Finals.

Grayson Allen
Allen went from All-American at Duke to the 21st pick in 2018. After one season with the Jazz, he improved with stops at the Grizzlies and Bucks.
Allen averaged 10-plus points the past three seasons and over the past four seasons, he’s averaging 40.1% on three-pointers. He’s blossomed as a starter his last two seasons in Milwaukee, including a career-high 11.1 points in 2021-22.

Jarrett Allen
The Nets have also had past success with the 22nd pick. Case in point: they drafted Allen in 2017 and he’s become one of the NBA’s best rebounders. In four seasons with the Nets, he was a reliable starter while averaging 10.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. After he was traded during the 2020-21 season to the Cavaliers, his career took off even more and he was named an All-Star in 2022.
 

By Evan Barnes

evan.barnes@newsday.comevan_b

Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.